On Friday, Judicial Watch was able to obtain flight expense records from the Department of the Air Force revealing that President Obama incurred $7,396,531.20 in flight expenses alone for his 2013 vacations to Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard and his trip to California to appear on the Jay Leno Show.

The records were released in response to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch in August 2013 due to such costs being covered up and Judical Watch had to sue to get the president's expenses.

Judicial Watch found that from December, 21, 2012, to January, 5, 2013, the Obama family spent their Christmas vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the president briefly flying back to Washington to work on a budget deal before returning to finish out his vacation.

“In early August 2013, Obama flew to California to dine privately with high-dollar fundraiser DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg in the presidential suite at the Hilton Woodland Hills Hotel and to appear for the sixth time on the Jay Leno “Tonight Show.”

“In addition, in August 2013, the Obama family spent eight days vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, at the $7.6 million home of David Schulte, founder of the private equity firm Chilmark Partners.”

In the 12-page document obtained by Judicial Watch from the Department of the Air Force, the costs are staggering.

In the document, addressed to Justin McCarthy of Judicial Watch pointed out that the outbound flight to Honolulu for the Obama 2012 – 2013 Christmas vacation cost taxpayers $2,214,393.60. The return flight to Washington was $1,871,961.60. The total price for flight expenditures alone came to $4,086,355.20.

The outbound flight to California in August 2013 for Obama to dine with high-dollar fundraiser Jeffrey Katzenberg and appear on the “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” cost taxpayers $1,209,926.40.The return flight to Washington was $935,980.80. The total price for flight expenditures alone came to $2,145,907.20.

The outbound flight to Martha’s Vineyard for the Obama family August vacation cost taxpayers $890,323.20. The return flight to Washington was $273,945.60. The total price for flight expenditures alone came to $1,164,268.80.

With these staggering costs and the national deficit is out of control, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said, “The Obamas are abusing the public trust and the taxpayers with unnecessary luxurious vacations and travel.”

“These staggering costs show why these documents were covered up and we had to sue in federal court to get them. Another transparency fail for the Obama gang.”

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Christopher Collins is a USAF Cold War Veteran (6915th ESS); He’s a member of the American Legion, USAF Association, and the American Diabetes Association. He is also a supporter of the NRA, GCO, and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO). He co-authored the book, Between Light and Dark and he obtained his BBA degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Baker College. He can be reached at ccollin4@bellsouth.net.